The New York Jets May Have Just Outdone the Butt-Fumble

A dispiriting thing about rooting for the New York Jets (beyond the annual heartbreak that’s guaranteed, I mean) is that when anything halfway-crappy happens, you already know the reply. “Same old Jets,” the Internet will cackle. “Same old Jets,” Jets fans will sigh.

So today, after news broke that a backup linebacker sucker-punched quarterback Geno Smith, breaking his jaw and putting him out of commission for 6-10 weeks, we all braced for the inevitable. Same old Jets.

Only this time, I’m not so bummed.

"Only, how far can you get if your quarterback is, uh, very, very bad?"

Why? The Jets had a half-decent chance to make noise this year. All-World corner Darrelle Revis had returned, and the defense looks set to be dominant. By all rights, I should be bummed that our shot at the playoffs just broke in two places. Only, how far can you get if your quarterback is, uh, very, very bad? Because that’s what Geno Smith is, for all we’ve seen of him. Geno’s Jets tenure has been pockmarked with inconsistent play, with anonymous grousing from his teammates, and with interceptions, early and often. So in a way, losing him to a broken jaw preemptively removes the possibility that the Jets will start hot and then let me down. Instead of a dominant defense and an offense that might scrape together a handful of yards, we’ve got a dominant defense and a zero-expectations offense.

The Jets, now presumably led by Harvard Man Ryan Fitzpatrick, can only surprise. And that’s something the New York Jets haven’t done for a while now.